Netflix’s Operation Safed Sagar has received almost universal acclaim. The show, based on the Indian Air Force’s daring operations during the Kargil War, is as much an aerial actioner as it is a political drama. Operation Safed Sagar also features the political machinations by Pakistan during the war, chiefly how the then Army chief, General Pervez Musharraf, pulled the strings to bring the war about. Actor Manu Rishi Chadha’s portrayal of Musharraf has received praise from both critics and fans, and the actor says he is now getting ‘love-filled hate’ for the performance.
Manu Rishi Chadha on reaction to Musharraf portrayal
Speaking with PTI, the actor said, “People have told me, ‘If we didn’t love you, we would only hate you’ and that they are experiencing this strange kind of ‘love filled with hate’ for the character.” The actor, wowing audiences with his dramatic flair in the show, is normally known for his rib-tickling comedy performances in movies such as Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, Tanu Weds Manu Returns, and Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan.
Though it isn’t the first time he has played a negative or darker character, Manu Rishi is getting a lot of praise for his restrained portrayal of Musharraf, the architect of the 1999 Kargil War. “I have been receiving long messages from people who were deeply hurt by what happened in 1999… That is why I felt that while it may be easier to forgive Pakistan, forgiving Musharraf would not be as easy. Even people from the armed forces messaged me and said they were deeply affected,” the actor told PTI.
Operation Safed Sagar presents Musharraf as a scheming villain who not only lies to the international community but also keeps his own Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, in the dark about his plans. Manu Rishi admitted that he was nervous while taking on the role and worried that people might think that he is a bad person in real life as well.
“Sometimes it can work the other way, people may start thinking that if the character is such, then the actor must also be like that. Thankfully, I had done comedy before and had made people laugh and feel affection for me, so they understood that I had acted well and that I was not actually like the character. Otherwise, it would have become very difficult,” the actor added.
About Operation Safed Sagar
Inspired by the Indian Air Force’s role during the 1999 Kargil War, Operation Safed Sagar follows the Golden Arrows Squadron as a group of young fighter pilots who undertake high-altitude combat missions while navigating the emotional and personal costs of war.
Chadha is part of the show’s ensemble cast that also includes Jimmy Shergill, Siddharth, Abhay Verma, Adil Hussain, Mihir Ahuja, Taaruk Raina, Arnav Bhasin, Amrita Bagchi, Dia Mirza and Prajakta Koli.